2016 (181st annual meeting)

HIGH PRAISE – Slater Murphy (front, center), director of church music for the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, leads the combined choir and attendees in worship and praise at the Nov. 1 evening session of the 181st annual meeting of the Mississippi Baptist Convention in the Sanctuary of First Church, Jackson. Participating choirs included First Church, New Albany; Hillcrest Church, New Albany; First Church, Ripley; West Jackson Street Church, Tupelo; and the Blue Mountain College Chorale. (Photo by William H. Perkins Jr.)

Story:

By William H. Perkins Jr.

Editor

Messengers from Mississippi Baptist Convention (MBC) member churches unanimously approved adoption of the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message as the doctrinal guidelines for the convention, on Nov. 1 during the first day of the 181st annual meeting of the organization at First Church, Jackson.

Messengers also elected without opposition Doug Broome, senior pastor of First Church, Natchez, to a second term as MBC president. He was nominated by Ronnie Falvey, senior pastor of First Church, Madison. The nomination was seconded by Mark Byrd, senior pastor of First Church, Ridgeland.

John Pace, pastor of First Church, Terry, was nominated for first vice-president by Matt Olson, senior pastor of First Church, Sharon. The nomination was seconded by Terry Fant, pastor of Hickory Ridge Church, Florence.

Pace was elected without opposition. He replaces Gary Wyatt, pastor of North Morton Church, Morton.

Dan Howard, senior pastor of First Church, Philadelphia, was nominated by Bill Hurt, senior pastor of Pleasant Hill Church, Columbus. The nomination was seconded by LaRue Stephens, pastor of First Church, Long Beach.

Cosme Arana, pastor of Iglesia Hispana de Clinton, was nominated for second vice president by Richard Viel, pastor of Sandy Hook Church, Sandy Hook. The nomination was seconded by Joe Young, pastor of Calvary Chapel, Charleston.

After a secret ballot, Howard was declared the winner. Vote totals were not released. He replaces Larry Young, pastor of Spangle Banner Church, Pace.

Michael Weeks, pastor of Pleasant Hill Church, Olive Branch, was re-nominated as recording secretary by Greg Warnock, pastor of First Church, Brookhaven. He was reelected without opposition.

Jerry Bingham, missions director for Benton-Tippah Association in Ripley, was re-nominated for associate recording secretary by Warnock. He was reelected without opposition.

Messengers approved a 2017 Cooperative Program (CP) budget of $31,378,417, a decrease of .46% or $143,588 over last year’s CP budget. The portion dedicated to Southern Baptist causes comprises 37.5% of the 2017 CP budget and includes:

$5,931,776 for the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) in Richmond, Va., an increase of .21% or $12,688 over last year’s CP budget.

$2,681,600 for the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board in Alpharetta, Ga., an increase of ,21% or $5,602 over last year’s CP budget.

$2,607,547 for Theological Education, an increase of .21% or $5,532 over last year’s CP budget.

$351,752 for the SBC Operating budget, an increase of .21% or $660 over last year’s CP budget.

$194,232 for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC in Nashville, an increase of .21% or $498 over last year’s CP budget.

Two resolutions were passed by messengers. Resolution No. 1 offered appreciation for the hospitality of host First Church, Jackson; the convention speakers, singers and instrumentalists; Doug Broome, convention president; and those who have faithfully served the convention.

Resolution No. 2 expressed support for the right of the nation of Israel to “peacefully coexist” and asked for prayers for the country.

Featured speakers at the annual meeting included:

Jason K. Allen, president of Midwestern Seminary in Kansas City, Mo. Bible Treasures series of devotionals.

Jerry Young, pastor of New Hope Church in Jackson and president of the National Baptist Convention, Inc. Closing Message.

Leading in worship through music were Derrick Burt, director of music ministries at First Church, Natchez; Bradley White, worship pastor at First Church, Summit; Slater Murphy, MBCB director of church music; and Ruthie Sayles, director of music ministry at New Hope Church, Jackson.

Choirs participating in praise and worship included First Church, Natchez; First Church, Yazoo City; Mississippi Singing Churchmen; Sanctuary Choir of First Church, Summit; First Church, New Albany;

Gordon Sansing, chair of the Time, Place, and Preacher Committee and a member of First Church, Brandon, presented the recommendations of the committee to meet in 2017 at First Church, Jackson, on Oct. 31 – Nov. 1.

The committee chose Ronald Meeks, professor of Biblical studies and director of church relations at Blue Mountain College in Blue Mountain, as the 2017 convention preacher and Tim Mims, pastor of First Church, Winona, as the alternate preacher.

A total of 830 messengers representing 432 churches registered for the 2016 annual meeting. The messenger count reflected a decrease of six percent or 52 messengers when compared to the 2015 attendance figure of 882 registered messengers.